Separation
by fowl68
Summary: His heart's screaming at him that things aren't supposed to be like this and he wonders when everything changed.


**Disclaimer:** Don't own this!

**Author's Note:** I watched Nightmare Before Christmas again this morning. I'm still in love with that movie, even after all these years. And Oogie Boogie's song is still my second favorite villain song (Scar's _Be Prepared_ just takes the cake). And I can't wait for Tim Burton's new Alice in Wonderland to come out.

-~-~-~-

_I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at. ~Maya Angelou_

-~-~-~

Naruto hates it when he sees Sasuke on the street these days.

He hates it because he can remember the days, no less than two years ago, when Sasuke wouldn't have given the civilians that arrogant look. A smirk or an expressionless face, but never like they were just dirt. He remembers when they'd meet up in an on purpose accident and they'd just enjoy each others company.

They'd buy themselves some lunch and eat it while they walked the winding paths through Konoha's forests. One time, he actually managed to get Sasuke to try some ice cream. Coconut and pineapple. Sasuke had shrugged and said it wasn't bad. Naruto had bitten back a smart comment when Sasuke had ordered another small bowl.

Naruto misses those days.

He remembers when Sasuke began to really change. He'd never look at Naruto with those cold eyes before Itachi showed up again. But it seemed that it was the only look Naruto could get from Sasuke after that.

Now that they're sixteen and grown, sometimes Naruto looks at Sasuke and doesn't recognize him.

Sasuke had always been serious, but never like this. It was now that Naruto could see the resemblance between Sasuke and his father. His Sasuke had never been like this. He'd smiled, on the rare occasion, had chuckled sometimes, had never been able to lie with his eyes for anything. Except for when he was training, but even then, there was some kind of fire in his eyes.

Now Sasuke's arrogance rolls off of him, looking at the world with cold disdain (_just like his clan)_ and he looks at Naruto like he doesn't know who he is.

Naruto wants to shake him, punch him and scream "What _happened_ to you?!" But he never can.

More than anything, Naruto wants his brother back.

* * * *

Sasuke hates it when Naruto looks at him like he's angry. Really angry, not that sort of annoyed anger that Naruto used to have with him.

He can remember the Naruto from before he left_ (betrayed the village)_ and this isn't him. He can remember a bright smile and a cocky grin with a constant laughter. He can still see a glimpse of it now and then, but it's like a candle compared to a bonfire. It's been dimmed by something and Sasuke wants to pray to God that it's not his fault.

But he doesn't.

It used to be that you never saw one of them without the other. Everyone would notice Sasuke first, Naruto like an exuberant shadow. And even if they're not always together now, everything's changed. Naruto's the one they notice, confidence and courage and Sasuke's the quiet shadow.

He remembers how, when he left, Naruto had had a few moments of silent fury before it had all spilled out of him. He remembers not being able to force the word goodbye out of his mouth and how those sapphire eyes had accusingly bored into him. _You're not supposed to leave!_ Those eyes had screamed. _We're supposed to be brothers, dammit!_

Sasuke had turned his back and walked away.

He'd wanted his other brother, his blood brother, dead. Something in his mind hadn't wanted to let Naruto somehow get into a similar situation. But when his blood brother gives him that sad smile on blood-stained lips_ (I'm sorry, Sasuke…this is it)_, his heart had screamed at him that this wasn't how it was supposed to be.

And when he'd gotten back, Sakura had hugged him close, but even as he detachedly put his arms around her, over her shoulder, he'd seen Naruto leaning on the doorway, all broad shoulders and lean muscles. Naruto hadn't said anything, but cocked his head in a curious manner, like there was something that he didn't understand when he looked at him.

Sometimes Sasuke wants to grab his best friend—if they were that anymore—and ask look him in the eyes and ask "What's _wrong_ with you?" Because he'd been depending on Naruto to welcome him back, to be the only one with the accusing eyes.

He wonders when that expression replaced the trusting, laughing one he was so familiar with.

-/-/-/

**Author's Note:** Don't ask me where this came from. I'm not actually sure. All I know is that it got written in, literally, ten minutes.


End file.
